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THE INFLUENCE OF THE LEGENDARY MANU DIBANGO AND COCO MBASSI ON ADAH AKENJI, CASE OF “WAN’ O BI”

Music they say can change a community but one can’t change music from what it has been. This is the experience we see in the 2016 version of Adah Akenji’s “Wan O Bi” written, sang and performed by the legendary Coco Mbassi at the French cultural center – Douala in 2004.

The birth and evolution of what is today afro-pop, takes its root from two prominent African music icons, Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti. Makossa in particular got its fame and international acknowledgement in the late 1960s by the legendary, Manu Dibango.

Introducing the intro of his song (Wan O’Bi) courtesy of the internationally recognized album “Soul Makossa” of Manu Dibango released in 1972, Adah Akenji goes as far as mimicking and auto tuning his voice in the intro to match that of the “Biggest Manu”.

Adah did not only released a new track but diversified the Makossa music grooves to the “High Life” music. The song expresses a different kind of feelings, performed by Coco Mbassi, Cameroon’s female music icon. “Wan O Bi” can be as well performed in any live international concert or show because of the abundance of live instrumental funk imbeded in it.

The “Wan O Bi” audio which is Coco Mbassi’s song, was produced by Adah Akenji himself under his keyboard name #VOYDIncredible and directed by himself and R.Talla in Yaoundé.

NB: Adah Akenji did the song as a tribute to the legendary Coco Mbassi. The original song was sang by Coco Mbassi herself (Watch above)